XGIMI Halo+ Review: ‘Smart Projector Gets Even Smarter’

XGIMI HALO+ PROJECTOR REVIEW.

After reviewing the XGIMI Halo projector late last year, I’ve learned not to underestimate the power of a small package. Despite its size, the original Halo outputted a good bit of brightness, even when powered by the internal battery in a highly-portable setup. Well, XGIMI is back again with the Halo+, an evolution that boasts some nifty improvements including a bump up of max brightness, impressive auto-keystone correction, and a game mode that claims to reduce latency down to below 26.5 ms. This is the XGIMI Halo+ review.

Familiar places

The unboxing experience of the Halo+ is similar to its little brother, with little in the way of surprises. The units themselves look incredibly similar, though the telltale sign of the Halo+ is the auto-keystone sensor. This, combined with the “Fast Boot 6S” feature, makes setting up the Halo+ an absolute dream.

Buy the XGIMI Halo+ on Amazon.

While I loved the portability of the Halo, I must admit that setting it up in a new location could get tedious with the need to manually fine-tune settings. With the Halo+, it’s as simple as switching it on and letting the auto functions get the picture ready. It’s simply fantastic and ideal for those who will be moving the projector around often.

Most entertainment apps work well

Finding and downloading my go-to entertainment apps was also simple on the Halo+. Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video were quick and simple to install. Netflix, on the other hand, required a bit of a workaround as I had to grab an APK. This is obviously not ideal and I imagine the average user will be pairing the Halo+ with an Amazon Fire TV Stick or an equivalent to dodge the headaches of app compatibility. XGIMI isn’t necessarily to blame here, but it’s well worth noting that Netflix can be a pain!

As mentioned, however, I’m a tech-savvy bloke who doesn’t mind getting his hands a bit dirty with an APK or two. It’s certainly possible to get this version of Android TV loaded up on all desired apps and, once everything is installed, it’s a flawlessly smooth experience.

Shine brighter

Unsurprisingly, the performance reminded me of the original Halo, which has been my daily driver projector for home cinema experiences and hotel stays. The additional 100 lumens of brightness is certainly noticeable, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it a “game-changer.” It’s certainly nice to have and can help make the projected image a bit more perceptible in less ideal conditions where the environment is still a bit bright.

The “Game Mode Boost” is a game-changer, however. While the original Halo succeeded in delivering a smooth and responsive experience in The Last of Us 2, Deathloop, and Elden Ring, the Halo+’s lower latency of a claimed 26.5 ms is a treat for fast and frenetic shooters where fast reactions can mean the difference between life and death. Call of Duty: Warzone, Gran Turismo 7, and Elden Ring all reward good reaction times and I was thankful to have the Halo+ variant on my team.

Though it outputs in 1080p, the downscaled 4K image of the PS5 looked fantastic and sharp at 100 inches. While it’s important to temper expectations when it comes to pairing 1080p with a large display size, I remain very pleased by the overall sharpness and quality.

XGIMI has nailed audio, too. The Halo+ once again sounds brilliant considering the size of the device. With “Sound by Harman/Kardon,” I suppose it’s expected, but I was still very impressed by the output. What’s more, the fan noise is barely noticeable. Though it is always on, it doesn’t seem to speed up, so there’s a consistent sound that you eventually just fade out. Once movie or game audio starts playing, it’s a complete non-issue.

XGIMI Halo+ Review: The final verdict

At $849, the XGIMI Halo+ sits $50-100 above the original Halo. For those willing to put down the cash for the Halo, it’s well worth considering the extra bit of dosh to upgrade to the Halo+. The additional brightness, auto keystone correction, and game mode are my personal highlights and make the leap worth it.

With all of that said, the XGIMI Halo+ is still an expensive investment and I think potential buyers should ask themselves if they’ll be making enough use of the portability enhancements. If you are going to be moving about a lot, from room to room, indoors to outdoors, and so on, then the Halo+ can be tremendously convenient and makes very few compromises to achieve that win.

Halo+ projector review unit was provided by XGIMI.